A suspected jock killer bragged about beating a 16-year-old boy to death at an Arizona house party, saying, “I guess I’m too strong.”
Talan Renner, 17, reportedly bragged to his Snapchat friends after throwing ‘hammer blows’ at Preston Lord at the party in Gilbert, Arizona, in October 2023. He wrote: I got into a fight, I had a big group fight and I accidentally killed a child. . I guess I’m too strong.
Renner and six other alleged thugs have been arrested in the death of Lord, who died of a brain injury two days after the beating. Police records allege that an unnamed boy danced on the dying teen’s body shortly after the beating, while others performed “fucking” (simulated acts of rape) to further degrade their victim.
Newly released communications said to be between Renner and his friends offer a chilling glimpse into the aftermath of the fatal beating. AZFamily reported.
Renner allegedly couldn’t help but brag after Lord was killed, texting fellow suspect Taylor Sherman to say, “I could have hospitalized that kid.” I hit him pretty hard.
The son of the millionaire gym owner is also said to have shown his friends a video of the fatal beating he had recorded on his phone while declaring: “Oh, I put this kid on life support.”
17-year-old athlete Talan Renner, accused of beating Preston Lord to death at a wild Arizona house party, boasted to friends that he was “too strong.”
Preston Lord, 16, was left to die on a Queen Creek road outside Phoenix after being attacked at the party on October 28 and suffering critical injuries.
After the deadly fight, Talan wrote: “I got into a fight, a large group fight and accidentally killed a child.” He goes on to write: “I think I’m too strong,” one witness stated.
More messages were sent two days after the attack. “Bro, that kid died,” one said. “Tresty or Talan could be charged with murder,” said another, referencing Treston Billey, who had allegedly stomped on Preston’s head.
All seven suspects pleaded not guilty, but not before Talan Renner’s parents allegedly attempted to plot an escape from justice for their son.
Talan’s father, Travis Renner, allegedly tried to hide evidence from the night of the beating and shift the blame to another boy with a similar name.
Ashley Reynolds, who worked for Talan’s father, Travis Renner, claimed she unwittingly participated in a cover-up that allegedly began as soon as Preston was seriously injured.
The former Relentless Media Agency employee said Arizona Republic that his bosses Renner and Adam Kifer, CEO of Relentless Media Agency, openly discussed their plans to hide evidence and shift the blame to another guy with a “similar name.”
Travis Renner and his business partner reportedly planned to take Talan to a cabin until the injuries he sustained while beating him healed. Detectives recorded that Renner’s family had “financial means to help him flee to Mexico” and removed him from the Phoenix area after the Preston attack.
Phoenix police had to apologize earlier this month after Talan’s parents, Becky and Travis Renner, received special valet parking services from police with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.
An officer was seen taking the millionaire gym owners’ white Tesla Model X to a private parking lot to avoid encountering a group of journalists.
It took months for authorities to identify the suspects, and angry locals demanded justice and claimed that the young men’s powerful families were preventing justice from being served.
Renner’s other son, Kyler, is also said to be a violent bully. He has been charged in connection with two separate gang attacks in a parking lot and a house party in 2022.
Travis Renner was also arrested in January on suspicion of drug possession and paraphernalia charges, while his son Kyler was arrested on allegations of gang violence.
Police are seen attempting to raid Renner’s family home to execute an arrest warrant earlier this month, only to find no one there.
Arizona businessman Travis Renner has been accused of helping his teenage son cover up the murder of a 16-year-old boy who was beaten to death after a party at his home.
On March 7, Talan Renner’s parents, Becky and Travis Renner, were escorted out a back exit of the Durango Juvenile Court in Phoenix while attending their son’s first court appearance.
Phoenix police had to apologize earlier this month after Talan’s parents, Becky and Travis Renner, received special valet parking services from Maricopa County police.
Travis Renner’s other son, Kyler, has been charged in connection with two gang attacks in a parking lot and a house party in 2022.
Aside from Talan, damning evidence has been presented against all seven defendants.
In the 1,100-page police report released Wednesday, March 28, a digital trail of evidence was presented. Snapchats, videos, photos, phone calls and text messages from Oct. 28 allowed investigators to piece together the night.
More than 40 minutes of 911 calls were made; The first were to report on the out-of-control party at the house that hosted “at least 250 children.”
Another 911 caller claimed the partygoers were armed: “Someone’s going to get hurt.” They’re going to kill someone,” the caller said. “These kids have guns.”
After the deadly fight, a series of 911 calls came in saying a teenager was attacked and people were doing CPR.
Callers told 911 operators that the group of attackers were wearing ski masks and estimated there were “about 15” of them.
Investigators believe the fight broke out over a gold chain after ‘D Money’, later identified as Dominic Turner, ripped the chain off.
Taylor Sherman (left), Dominic Turner (center), William Owen Hines above (right) have been charged with murder and kidnapping.
Treston Billey (left) and Talyn Vigil (right) have also been charged with Preston’s murder.
Dominic Turner, 20, and Taylor Sherman, 19, appear in court earlier this month.
Along with Talan’s vile confession that he killed Preston because he was “too strong,” other gang members also released incriminating messages, according to the police report.
Talyn Vigil said in a Snapchat conversation that “I hit a kid and this kid hit his head… and then they kicked his head into the ground and then I found out he died, so I don’t know.”
William Hines told police officers: “Frankly brother, I was drunk, in the heat of the moment, I kicked him and kicked his leg.”
Taylor Sherman told officers that he, Renner, Meisner and Turner got into his car and left after the fight.
When the group was in the car, Talan allegedly said, “I could have hospitalized that kid” and “I hit him pretty bad.”
Each of the seven suspects now faces one count of first-degree murder and one count of kidnapping.
Treston Billey, Jacob Meisner and Dominic Turner also face charges of aggravated robbery.